Mitt Romney has a problem because he released only two income tax returns. Now
Paul Ryan has a problem because he released two too many: the sole returns he
released give a glaring portrait of a man who is stingy to the poor
personally as well as professionally.

Tax returns show for 2010 and 2011 show that the Ryans donated $12,991 and
$2,600 respectively. Ryan's income for those years totaled well over $650,000,
showing that the family donated only 2.4% of its income to charity.

That's right. 2.4 percent.* The national average of charitable giving is 3.5%,
with the bottom of the scale giving proportionately MORE:

"The Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest survey of consumer
expenditure found that the poorest fifth of U.S. households contributed an
average of 4.3 percent of their incomes to charitable organizations in 2007.
The richest fifth gave at less than half that rate, 2.1 percent."

So while Ryan gave an incredibly magnanimous
.3 percent more than the richest fifth, it still looks kinda bad for the
Wisconsin rep doesn't it? Especially in the light of his economic policies, the
brunt of which rest on the statement that charities will "pick up the
slack" for the poor.

In Step With The Christian Right

The Christian Right (especially its Tea Party faction) will find a way to spin
Ryan's miserly ways, to be sure: maybe he interpreted Nostradamus' work to
foresee that he, Ryan, would become Vice President, but only if he saved up for
it.** It has long been trying to point out (in convoluted fashion) why Ryan's
budget cuts will help its Christian churches in the long run. In an earlier
article (OpEdNews, The
Christian Right's Latest Strategy, Sept. 21, 2011), it was pointed out that
cuts in government services would bring the "sinning" poor back to
the church:

"So there you have it: the poor are poor because they've sinned.
The government has coddled the poor and taken them away from the church. We've
heard it before, but not in such an outlandish venue. And the solution for this
terrible situation is to strip the government of all its services and programs
so that the only programs the poor can avail themselves will be 'faith-based.'"

Then they can turn to Paul Ryan's private income to help them "pick up the
slack."

Unfortunately, a closer look at the the Ryan plan reveals the starving out of
"faith-based" organizations and charities: Economist and scholar of
safety net programs Scott W. Allard (University of Chicago):

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"The Ryan budget cuts would also directly hobble nonprofits -- and
thus reduce their capacities as needs rises. In every U.S. community,
local religious and secular nonprofits serve the poor with the help of
grants from the federal and state government. But the Republican-Ryan
budget would unravel all this from the top. To fund tax cuts for the rich,
it would take away federal monies, leaving the states with much less to channel
through charities. Many local nonprofits would have to close their doors,
and even familiar regional social service organizations -- like Catholic
Charities, Lutheran Social Services, and Jewish Family Services -- would find it
hard to maintain services, let alone expand them to new needs."

A Rabbit Out Of Ryan's Hat

Congressman slashes budget effecting the poor and the elderly. Congressman says
that charities will "pick up the slack" in proving those same
services. Congressman gives disproportionately small amount to charities.

Charities thrive.

Right.

Probably the only people thriving during this debacle of hypocrisy will be the
spin doctors - aka campaign managers: if they can pull off any spin at all,
they're good for more campaign jobs.

*And what of the Romneys? 12.5% (mostly through tithing to the LDS Church).
What of Santorum? The worst: 1.7%. In comparison, Obama gave 14.5% in 2010.
**Hey, they've come up with weirder explanations. They're still trying
desperately to support Tod Akin's "Legitimate rape" comment as fact.

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http://sacredcowsmakethebesthamburgers.blogspot.com

Rev. Dan Vojir is has been writing/blogging on religion and politics for the better part of ten years. A former radio talk show host (Strictly Books " Talk America Radio Network) and book publisher, Dan has connected with some of the most (more...)